NFL Week 11: Packers vs. Lions

Green Bay Packers (-4) @ Detroit Lions (+4) Sunday, Nov. 18 1 p.m. ET

The NFC North division title was the Chicago Bears for the taking heading into Week 10. Jay Cutler and company were sporting one of the best records in the NFL winning seven out of their first eight games and dominating the competition on both sides of the football.
After the loss to arguably the best team in the AFC, Houston Texans, last weekend, the Bears suffered a setback with Cutler going down with a concussion that might force him out of Week 11 against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.
If Chicago loses to San Francisco, the flood gates may begin to open for the Green Bay Packers sitting in second place. With a 6-3 record, Aaron Rodgers and company are waiting for the opportunity to overtake their bitter division rivals for the top spot in the NFC North. Another for Chicago and win for Green Bay will be a big step in the right direction.
In Week 11, the Packers will go on the road to face divisional opponent Detroit Lions. Last season, the Lions were a formidable force within the division and in the NFC with Matthew Stafford and company coming together to clinch the first playoff spot in over a decade.
Once having clinched the playoff spot, most were convinced that the Detroit wasn’t a fluke and were a team on the rise in the NFC. With up-and-comers in Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh, the Lions’ potential was limitless as the future looked bright.
Unfortunately, Detroit has been able to replicate last season’s performance with a 4-5 record and last place standing in the NFC North. This simply won’t get it done in the highly competitive division and conference for a team with playoff aspirations.
Fortunately for the Lions, the season isn’t over yet with a chance to bounce back to .500 with a win over the Packers in Detroit. Although unlikely, the Lions do have a shot at doing just that with this game being played at home in front of the Detroit faithful.
Along with the home field advantage, the Lions will benefit from superstar linebacker Clay Matthews out for this game with a lingering hamstring injury. The absence of Matthews will take a little pressure off Stafford in the pocket and it might ultimately turn out to be the difference.
Coming into this divisional matchup, Green Bay has been dubbed the favorite with a -4 point spread. An upset may be in the making in Detroit, but taking the Packers is a safe way to go.